Blueing gun springs?

Hot caustic blue shouldn't hurt them, since it runs at 280-290 degrees. I have seen them blued before, but it would be only for decorative purposes, as bluing is a form of rust.
 
What about a cold blue such as Oxpho-Blue? According to Brownell's web site, it sounds like Oxpho-Blue may even "harden" the surface a bit which would be of benefit.

"Phosphate-like surface forms under the blue.
(Note: It is possible to get a surface so dense with Oxpho-Blue that water will puddle on it!)"
 
Back when I was bluing guns, I was told by older gentlemen not to blue springs as it would ruin them. Blued lots of springs, never ruined any of them. 275-300 degrees F will not affect the spring's temper. What you will probably see is it will turn purple/red pretty quickly.
 
yggorf

Cold blue would work. Just soak the spring in alcohol, etc., to clean the oil off, and then immerse the spring in cold blue. After bluing, dry it off, and oil it.
 
As a usual rule, when factory springs are blue/black, it is as a result of the manufacturing process, not of a separate bluing process. I know of no reason for bluing springs, and few springs are seen when the gun is assembled.

Jim
 
I'm like Jim. If the spring was wound with un-tempered wire, then it would have been blackened during a heat treat. Most gun springs are wound with spring wire, which is pre-tempered. That is why they have no coloring to them.

I have seen a few instances of blued springs, but they were exposed to view. I don't think that bluing will help them from rusting at all, since it is a form of rust in which the rust (iron oxide) is chemically made black. If the surface of the spring was pitted in the process, it could weaken one, causing it to prematurely break.
 
In some cases, mostly where a part is made as its own spring, the tempering color may be left as a decorative feature, or sometimes as proof to inspectors that the part was properly heat treated. The latter is the case with the extractor of the U.S. Krag rifle.

Jim
 
virtually any bright clean steel will rust under the right conditions. Bluing helps prevent that if oiled properly. Blued steel just looks classy.

I use Birchwood-Casey cold blue for all the tools, jigs, and and items I make in my machine shops. They just look more professional.

but you have to have the surface absolutely clean and oil-free. And then after applying it, wash off and rub light oil on to protect. You could just oil the bright steel, but that does not look as cool! :)
 
Bill, people want a gun spring [that you never see ] to look cool ????
Come on guys , get a real life !! :rolleyes:
 
As I stated..................well oiled offers your protection. Bluing add professional color. If you do not care about springs that no one sees, why even bother.

I deal in a LOT of springs, what with my many antique clocks and watches, and all are blued or blue colored. HT'ing brings about a lot of that color. You never see them either, but they never rust due to the oils & greases that are always there. I have yet to see a clock spring from the last 150 years that is not blue.

No bluing will not prevent rust on it's own. You need to use a very thin film of the right kind of oil. In fact, the chemicals in cold bluing (and hot/electro bluing I have used) will actually CAUSE rusting if not washed off, neutralized, and oiled.

Two surface treatments I know of that can prevent rust on their own are nitriding with disassociated ammonia (black oxide) and TIN coating (gold hard coating). Neither of which is easy to do at home!
 
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